Boycotting

[JoeP]

20 minutes ago, Fanny Adams said:

I gave up when my good friend Pete Wild got fucked over in the summer.

 

Yep, that's more understandable. Wild did a better job as manager than Scholes did too...

[Mayfield]

48 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

I don't think the way people are "boycotting" at the moment will do anything.  The gates have dropped, but it just looks like people can't be arsed going because the team are shit, rather than for any other reason.

 

A boycott needs to be a wholesale, organised project like the PTB protest was. 

 

Fair and balanced assessment.

 

Is dwindling attendance / very low average gate a product of apathy or direct action by core support?

 

Household economics are almost certainly a factor for a significant number of those supporters not in the 'die hard' bracket.

 

My view is the PTB protest is registering with the club, but I couldn't comment on how influential this is.

 

If a cohesive supporter base were mobilised effectively on mass, such that attendance could be directly influenced by the leadership, then power and leverage shifts. 

 

Appreciate this is the goal for the protests, but it is mighty difficult to reach a consensus.

 

My position is empathy with the views of many of the dissenting voices, but I will still attend BP and support the team.

[unsworth blue]

We spoke about this coming home after the Morecambe game.

 

Just for the benefit of doubt, could fans who are choosing not to go at present confirm the following:-

 

(1) What has stopped you attending OAFC home games? Is it one thing that broke the camel's back or is it just a culmination of events that led to you stopping going

 

(2) What would make you come back? Change of owners behaviour/ change of owners/ better matchday experience/ better results etc.

 

Short of undertaking another survey, this is best way I can think of to gauge opinion that maybe useful in trying to address the slide and any further deterioration amongst supporters

 

many thanks - enjoy the rest of the Festive Period and lets hope the improved results continue    

 

[disjointed]

For me the merry go round of managers was a deciding factor, Scholes walking made me realise that the owner was someone who couldn't be easily worked with. 

The fiasco that is Mo being director of football and Shitpeas still being part of our club stops me from setting foot in the place. 

Dino is doing a remarkable job given the tools at his disposal and I think he is possibly the correct man for the job, although I fear a bad run could see him shunted by the owner. 

So in short if Mo and Owen go there is a good chance I will start attending again. 

[Dave_Og]

3 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

Yeah, don't get why many see Scholes as the pivotal moment to call it quits.  For all the years we were been linked with him, I always had the suspicion that he didn't have the personality or knowledge of lower league football to do a decent job as our manager.  The performances and results suggested this might have been the case.  Plus he walked.

 

I think, on this one occasion, it wasn't actually Abdallah's fault...

 

It was a big moment for me.  Yes, agree that he had no meaningful knowledge of the division but I've no doubt at all that he cared.  if the right support structures had been in place I think that he would have given it a proper go and might have had a chance but he very quickly realized that wasn't the case and that he saw no prospect of that changing.  I don't blame him for that in the slightest.

 

[OLDHAMADE]

3 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

Yeah, don't get why many see Scholes as the pivotal moment to call it quits.  For all the years we were been linked with him, I always had the suspicion that he didn't have the personality or knowledge of lower league football to do a decent job as our manager.  The performances and results suggested this might have been the case.  Plus he walked.

 

I think, on this one occasion, it wasn't actually Abdallah's fault...

Couldn't agree more, one of the biggest disappointments ever

How someone so great in the world of football, could be so crap...... in the world of football

[JoeP]

38 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

 

It was a big moment for me.  Yes, agree that he had no meaningful knowledge of the division but I've no doubt at all that he cared.  if the right support structures had been in place I think that he would have given it a proper go and might have had a chance but he very quickly realized that wasn't the case and that he saw no prospect of that changing.  I don't blame him for that in the slightest.

 

 

I've no doubt he cared, but would we be affording him such empathy, if he wasn't Paul Scholes the former world-class footballer?

 

At a time when due diligence seems to be the buzz-phrase at the club, surely he would have done his research into what he was getting himself into and what sort of structure was in place?

 

In my opinion, interference in playing matter from the owner and his brother is the biggest factor that has sped up our decline, but it is what it is and out of the umpteen managers we've had since the Lemsagam's arrival, Scholes is bottom of the list of who's shown any glimpse that they might be able to do a job under better ownership..

[deyres42]

1 minute ago, JoeP said:

 

I've no doubt he cared, but would we be affording him such empathy, if he wasn't Paul Scholes the former world-class footballer?

 

At a time when due diligence seems to be the buzz-phrase at the club, surely he would have done his research into what he was getting himself into and what sort of structure was in place?

 

In my opinion, interference in playing matter from the owner and his brother is the biggest factor that has sped up our decline, but it is what it is and out of the umpteen managers we've had since the Lemsagam's arrival, Scholes is bottom of the list of who's shown any glimpse that they might be able to do a job under better ownership..

Of course he knew. All he asked was that they didn't interfere with the football. They interfered with the football.

[whittles left foot]

2 minutes ago, JoeP said:

At a time when due diligence seems to be the buzz-phrase at the club, surely he would have done his research into what he was getting himself into and what sort of structure was in place?

Scholes never showed any inclination or ability for management-quite the opposite when you read what his contemporaries have to say about him. Will always rank as one of the most ridiculous appointments at BP and there have been a few!!!

[JoeP]

12 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Of course he knew. All he asked was that they didn't interfere with the football. They interfered with the football.

 

He must've known, even with his request, that it was always going to be a possibility. Didn't really give much time for a working relationship to develop. Bolted at the first sign things weren't going his way.... which I think worked out best all round as he never showed any sign in the short period he was at the club that he knew what he was doing. 

 

.

[deyres42]

1 minute ago, JoeP said:

 

He must've known, even with his request, that it was always going to be a possibility. Didn't really give much time for a working relationship to develop. Bolted at the first sign things weren't going his way.... which I think worked out best all round as he never showed any sign in the short period he was at the club that he knew what he was doing. 

 

.

We needed him a lot more than he needed us. What happened on the pitch (and it was hardly the disaster some like to paint it as) was irrelevant, we could neither go up or down, it was always going to be about what could be done in the summer and onto this season.

[Steve_R]

4 hours ago, unsworth blue said:

We spoke about this coming home after the Morecambe game.

 

Just for the benefit of doubt, could fans who are choosing not to go at present confirm the following:-

 

(1) What has stopped you attending OAFC home games? Is it one thing that broke the camel's back or is it just a culmination of events that led to you stopping going

 

(2) What would make you come back? Change of owners behaviour/ change of owners/ better matchday experience/ better results etc.

 

Short of undertaking another survey, this is best way I can think of to gauge opinion that maybe useful in trying to address the slide and any further deterioration amongst supporters

 

many thanks - enjoy the rest of the Festive Period and lets hope the improved results continue    

 

Good questions Phil, but from my observations and chats with people who don't go anymore, I think a lot  have just given up, rather than boycotting.

 

The shit standard of fourth division football, and to see us struggling in it. has seen many thrown the towel in. Obviously the owner it the main factor in our current predicament, but as someone mentioned a while ago, boycotts could have been arranged against each of our owners for the last 50 years as they all bled us dry in different ways.

 

Corney left the club on the brink, and unfortunately Abdallah hasn't a clue what to do with it and is only succeeding in making a terrible situation even worse. Blitz and Gazal are  responsible for the club being divided up all over the place, but over the years people have just stopped going,and we seem to shrink into whatever level we're at attendance wise.

 

It's heartbreaking what's happening to our club at the moment, but I also find it really sad that unlike fans of clubs like Tranmere, Notts County, Stockport, Orient and Wrexham who stayed and fought for their club, a lot of ours have just waked away.

[unsworth blue]

I think many would come back if Abdallah & Mohammed packed up and left Steve but I think it would have to be soon before they are lost for good. We can't do anything about the past sadly but I agree we have had some shocking owners.  I was speaking to a few on the protest who still go but weren't interested in renewing their season tickets next season should the current regime still be in situ and not changed their behaviour.   

 

Its gratifying that there are still a reasonable hard core of fans of long standing left Steve but even these are diminishing these days. I am sure the other clubs you mentioned have had supporters who walked away but maybe come back when they got their club back or the club turned the corner.   

 

I often think of what happened to fans who I remembered used to travel home & away regularly but I haven't seen for years. I came across several at Curzon Ashton when our game at  Stevenage was called off.

 

I am hoping the Push The Boundary initiative may bring about positive change either by getting owners to realise their manner of operating is driving fans away or by at least galvanising the supporters who are discontented into fighting for their club. Only time will tell if it will prove to be a watershed in our club's history or whether it will just fall because of apathy.

   

[deyres42]

6 minutes ago, Steve_R said:

Good questions Phil, but from my observations and chats with people who don't go anymore, I think a lot  have just given up, rather than boycotting.

 

The shit standard of fourth division football, and to see us struggling in it. has seen many thrown the towel in. Obviously the owner it the main factor in our current predicament, but as someone mentioned a while ago, boycotts could have been arranged against each of our owners for the last 50 years as they all bled us dry in different ways.

 

Corney left the club on the brink, and unfortunately Abdallah hasn't a clue what to do with it and is only succeeding in making a terrible situation even worse. Blitz and Gazal are  responsible for the club being divided up all over the place, but over the years people have just stopped going,and we seem to shrink into whatever level we're at attendance wise.

 

It's heartbreaking what's happening to our club at the moment, but I also find it really sad that unlike fans of clubs like Tranmere, Notts County, Stockport, Orient and Wrexham who stayed and fought for their club, a lot of ours have just waked away.

Some very good points there.

 

I think when you look at some of the teams you mention they had had some recent 'success' so the support was still energised to a degree whereas we have, bar 2/3 seasons, have been shit for a good while now - it is going to take a lot of turning around.

[Steve_R]

47 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Some very good points there.

 

I think when you look at some of the teams you mention they had had some recent 'success' so the support was still energised to a degree whereas we have, bar 2/3 seasons, have been shit for a good while now - it is going to take a lot of turning around.

You are correct there, as we are almost unique in the fact that we've been on a downer for so long. Apparently there is only us and Everton in the entire Football League (and beyond no doubt) who have  neither won a trophy or a promotion this century. Everton's last success was winning the FA Cup in  1995 whereas we have to go further back to 1991.

 

It's understandable, but I still find it dissappointing, and think quite a few hide behind the boycott rather than just admit that they've had enough. We just seem to shrink to whatever size our league position says, our crowds never hold up, which is one of the main reasons we don't come back from relegations. We're never the big boys with big support in the league below (and wouldn't be in the Conference, god forbid), out crowds just reflect were we are.

[disjointed]

3 minutes ago, Steve_R said:

You are correct there, as we are almost unique in the fact that we've been on a downer for so long. Apparently there is only us and Everton in the entire Football League (and beyond no doubt) who have  neither won a trophy or a promotion this century. Everton's last success was winning the FA Cup in  1995 whereas we have to go further back to 1991.

 

It's understandable, but I still find it dissapointing, and think quite a few hide behind the boycott rather than just admit that they've had enough. We just seem to shrink to whatever size our league position says, our crowds never hold up, which is one of the main reasons we don't comw back from relegations. We're never the big boys with big support in the league below (and wouldn't be in the Conference, god forbid), out crwosa just reflect were we are.

Love the Welsh word at the end, sums it up. 

[Steve_R]

3 minutes ago, disjointed said:

Love the Welsh word at the end, sums it up. 

Its been said before that I talk bollocks, I usually manage to avoid doing it in Welsh though!

[Matt]

1 hour ago, Steve_R said:

Its been said before that I talk bollocks, I usually manage to avoid doing it in Welsh though!

 

dwin caru cariad cymraeg

[No Pyro No Party]

7 hours ago, unsworth blue said:

We spoke about this coming home after the Morecambe game.

 

Just for the benefit of doubt, could fans who are choosing not to go at present confirm the following:-

 

(1) What has stopped you attending OAFC home games? Is it one thing that broke the camel's back or is it just a culmination of events that led to you stopping going

 

(2) What would make you come back? Change of owners behaviour/ change of owners/ better matchday experience/ better results etc.

 

Short of undertaking another survey, this is best way I can think of to gauge opinion that maybe useful in trying to address the slide and any further deterioration amongst supporters

 

many thanks - enjoy the rest of the Festive Period and lets hope the improved results continue    

 

 

First answers the second really: the ownership and board.

 

There are plenty of reasons besides that though which add the cherry on top: the ill-timed "sacking" of managers (Scholes being the biggie), poor recruitment, ground facility issues, quality of football on the pitch, board engagement, etc. Even the recent dig at the Trust which was quickly retracted might be enough for some. All that mixed with our fall from grace, aka League One, to a place where we're closer to the National League than coming back up.

 

For those wanting to understand why people are boycotting - especially after seeing bigfatjoe1's reply - by giving money towards the regime it's doing nothing more than legitimising it, in my opinion. I'm aware the club is financially missing out but this is a protest and the want to get drastic to save something we love is unignorable. As someone else put it, the idea is to make AL feel retaining ownership of the club is not in his best interest. Considering he is a businessman and Latics nowadays is a business before a football club, hitting him the pocket will resonate much more than some tennis balls on the pitch. He's stressed a couple of times how he's thrown money at Latics so for a guy that talks cash it seems very logical. But people have differing opinions on how to achieve common goals so I don't understand the big upset.

 

Once the ownership has changed (and hopefully the board), I'll be the first there. A clear goal, increased transparency, fan engagement, more accountability. All those things are big asks from owners but even a hint of it would have my attention. Sadly the current board cannot accept it's doing any wrong.

 

Final point: few posts claiming older fans have given up but what about us young'ns? The PTB survey said 66% of people were old enough to remember the glory days... But 34% don't. That means someone in their mid-twenties, e.g. me, has witnessed 3 relegations, 2 play-off SF loses and Barry Owen being on the board following 20~ years of League One football. It's been over 10,000 days since Latics have won any silverware. We have gone the longest of all teams in the EFL without winning anything.

 

I'm going onto a slightly different topic here but how is the current board rectifying that? What are the plans in place to recruit future Latics fans given all the issues I listed above? What is AL doing to make sure a young person isn't deciding to go watch United/City or turn on Sky/BT Sport/Amazon Prime? Bury went bust, Bolton almost did, Macclesfield are upside down; each season is a greater struggle for clubs financially. The club has much more competition than the other teams in League Two both on and off the field. With the current state of things, I'm dubious as to whether Latics will be around in 20 years time if drastic action isn't taken, be it from his pocket, another owner's or the fans' as collective owners.

[peanuts]

18 minutes ago, No Pyro No Party said:

 

First answers the second really: the ownership and board.

 

There are plenty of reasons besides that though which add the cherry on top: the ill-timed "sacking" of managers (Scholes being the biggie), poor recruitment, ground facility issues, quality of football on the pitch, board engagement, etc. Even the recent dig at the Trust which was quickly retracted might be enough for some. All that mixed with our fall from grace, aka League One, to a place where we're closer to the National League than coming back up.

 

For those wanting to understand why people are boycotting - especially after seeing bigfatjoe1's reply - by giving money towards the regime it's doing nothing more than legitimising it, in my opinion. I'm aware the club is financially missing out but this is a protest and the want to get drastic to save something we love is unignorable. As someone else put it, the idea is to make AL feel retaining ownership of the club is not in his best interest. Considering he is a businessman and Latics nowadays is a business before a football club, hitting him the pocket will resonate much more than some tennis balls on the pitch. He's stressed a couple of times how he's thrown money at Latics so for a guy that talks cash it seems very logical. But people have differing opinions on how to achieve common goals so I don't understand the big upset.

 

Once the ownership has changed (and hopefully the board), I'll be the first there. A clear goal, increased transparency, fan engagement, more accountability. All those things are big asks from owners but even a hint of it would have my attention. Sadly the current board cannot accept it's doing any wrong.

 

Final point: few posts claiming older fans have given up but what about us young'ns? The PTB survey said 66% of people were old enough to remember the glory days... But 34% don't. That means someone in their mid-twenties, e.g. me, has witnessed 3 relegations, 2 play-off SF loses and Barry Owen being on the board following 20~ years of League One football. It's been over 10,000 days since Latics have won any silverware. We have gone the longest of all teams in the EFL without winning anything.

 

I'm going onto a slightly different topic here but how is the current board rectifying that? What are the plans in place to recruit future Latics fans given all the issues I listed above? What is AL doing to make sure a young person isn't deciding to go watch United/City or turn on Sky/BT Sport/Amazon Prime? Bury went bust, Bolton almost did, Macclesfield are upside down; each season is a greater struggle for clubs financially. The club has much more competition than the other teams in League Two both on and off the field. With the current state of things, I'm dubious as to whether Latics will be around in 20 years time if drastic action isn't taken, be it from his pocket, another owner's or the fans' as collective owners.

this 

[unsworth blue]

17 minutes ago, No Pyro No Party said:

 

First answers the second really: the ownership and board.

 

There are plenty of reasons besides that though which add the cherry on top: the ill-timed "sacking" of managers (Scholes being the biggie), poor recruitment, ground facility issues, quality of football on the pitch, board engagement, etc. Even the recent dig at the Trust which was quickly retracted might be enough for some. All that mixed with our fall from grace, aka League One, to a place where we're closer to the National League than coming back up.

 

For those wanting to understand why people are boycotting - especially after seeing bigfatjoe1's reply - by giving money towards the regime it's doing nothing more than legitimising it, in my opinion. I'm aware the club is financially missing out but this is a protest and the want to get drastic to save something we love is unignorable. As someone else put it, the idea is to make AL feel retaining ownership of the club is not in his best interest. Considering he is a businessman and Latics nowadays is a business before a football club, hitting him the pocket will resonate much more than some tennis balls on the pitch. He's stressed a couple of times how he's thrown money at Latics so for a guy that talks cash it seems very logical. But people have differing opinions on how to achieve common goals so I don't understand the big upset.

 

Once the ownership has changed (and hopefully the board), I'll be the first there. A clear goal, increased transparency, fan engagement, more accountability. All those things are big asks from owners but even a hint of it would have my attention. Sadly the current board cannot accept it's doing any wrong.

 

Final point: few posts claiming older fans have given up but what about us young'ns? The PTB survey said 66% of people were old enough to remember the glory days... But 34% don't. That means someone in their mid-twenties, e.g. me, has witnessed 3 relegations, 2 play-off SF loses and Barry Owen being on the board following 20~ years of League One football. It's been over 10,000 days since Latics have won any silverware. We have gone the longest of all teams in the EFL without winning anything.

 

I'm going onto a slightly different topic here but how is the current board rectifying that? What are the plans in place to recruit future Latics fans given all the issues I listed above? What is AL doing to make sure a young person isn't deciding to go watch United/City or turn on Sky/BT Sport/Amazon Prime? Bury went bust, Bolton almost did, Macclesfield are upside down; each season is a greater struggle for clubs financially. The club has much more competition than the other teams in League Two both on and off the field. With the current state of things, I'm dubious as to whether Latics will be around in 20 years time if drastic action isn't taken, be it from his pocket, another owner's or the fans' as collective owners.

Very thought provoking response - I just hope that the club are reading this board and consider your well thought out comments 

[whittles left foot]

26 minutes ago, No Pyro No Party said:

the ill-timed "sacking" of managers (Scholes being the biggie)

He wasn't-he walked -by text if I remember correctly.

9 minutes ago, peanuts said:

but what about us young'ns? The PTB survey said 66% of people were old enough to remember the glory days... But 34% don't.

How many times were we told 17.5 million voted to leave the EU BUT 16.2 million voted to remain?  It's tough.

 

The best way to bring folks back is success on the pitch-something that may just be starting to happen.

[Ritchierich]

1 hour ago, whittles left foot said:

He wasn't-he walked -by text if I remember correctly.

How many times were we told 17.5 million voted to leave the EU BUT 16.2 million voted to remain?  It's tough.

 

The best way to bring folks back is success on the pitch-something that may just be starting to happen.

 

Re the Scholes point, I think that’s why he put “sacking” in inverted commas.....i.e. he left due to impossible circumstances.

 

mind you, for what it’s worth, I’ve come to the conclusion that Scholes is, in fact, a bit of a twat

[GlossopLatic]

I think the thing is with Scholes is that we gave him an easy way out far too quickly.

 

What should be far more concerning to all of us is the fact that his successor Pete Wild a born Oldham fan without the financial security of an 18 year career at the top of football to fall back on, Then went and voluntarily walked away from the club despite being a shoe in for the job. Paul Scholes walked back into a lucrative and lets face it pretty easy job at BT sport (getting paid to say how shit Paul Pogba is) Pete Wild turned down the Oldham because the job at Halifax Town is a better job.

 

For those of you who thought Paul Scholes bottled it whats your feelings on Pete Wild walking away?

[Matt]

2 hours ago, No Pyro No Party said:

Once the ownership has changed....a clear goal, increased transparency, fan engagement, more accountability.

 

You have to stop talking about it like it's the easiest and quickest thing to do.

 

I'd seriously brace yourself for a tough ride. If the ownership is eventually changed in favour of a supporter led buy-out or whatever, you'll (more than likely) experience the same abrasive attitudes being channeled to the new incumbent. There will be a whole new set of problems that all sound like the problems and reasons why you got to this point in the first place. You have x amount of fans, and x amount of views on how the club will operate, from bringing in functioning investments, to who is (or who isn't) weeding the carparks in June.

 

Problems you thought would be solved get replaced with new problems - it takes a massive amount of effort, that massive effort needs to be maintained, and everybody's individual efforts have to be recognised without privilege.